The couple in the middle of the square was still receiving congratulations and gifts one after the other. Quite some time had passed but the crowd around them didn’t seem to thin out at all. In fact, there only seemed to be more people as time went on. The dragons were clearly very enthusiastic about this wedding.

Jing He felt a little afraid in the face of so many people who were all looking at them with eager eyes. Originally, he sat a little stiffly, afraid to leave a bad impression. The longer those intent gazes lasted, the closer his body moved toward Qiu Ling, seeking comfort.

He couldn’t help it. He simply wasn’t used to such gatherings. He had only officially taken part in celebrations a few times back in the Nine Heavens and there, he was familiar with what was to happen and the people closest to them. Now, things were very different.

Qiu Ling could feel that his beloved was on edge. He gently held his hand, interlacing his fingers with Jing He’s while holding him tightly with the other arm. Anyway, the dragons didn’t care about these things. On the contrary, this behavior was only to be expected between lovers. It was a pity that he couldn’t talk to Jing He in front of everyone without making him more nervous though.

In fact, Jing He didn’t necessarily need it either. Being wrapped in Qiu Ling’s arms and holding his hand, he felt a lot more comfortable. He had always trusted him and felt safe with him so even in such a chaotic situation, he felt much better being close to him. It helped that none of the dragons commented on their closeness or even looked at it twice. They really seemed to expect this.

Jing He looked up at his husband every now and then, drawing more confidence from his calm but happy expression. This was how their wedding day should be: Filled with people who wished them well and both of them being happy and looking forward to the future. If only he could be less nervous.

Qiu Ling tilted his head when he felt Jing He’s gaze and his smile brightened. He leaned in and kissed his temple, closing his eyes for a moment. “Are you tired, my love?” They had been sitting on this square for a long time and the string of people walking up to congratulate them and give gifts didn’t seem to end. While he himself was the impatient type and wanted things to end mostly for the sake of being alone with his beloved again so they could enjoy the two-person world of a newly married couple, Jing He might feel tired after going through this for a long time. That definitely wasn’t what he wanted to see on their wedding day.

Jing He hesitated but then shook his head. “I’m not tired, just … maybe a little nervous still.”

“We can stop and go inside whenever you want to.”

Jing He shook his head again and smiled. “No, it’s alright. It’s a bit much but … they’re all your people. It’s also nice to get to know them.” He was just on edge because there really were a lot and he was still worried about leaving a bad impression.

Qiu Ling knew Jing He well enough to understand. He nodded faintly and rubbed his shoulder, hoping it would calm him down.

The dragons close by naturally heard their conversation and then looked at each other. Were they … being a bit too much? They thought of how gentle their king’s spouse looked and inevitably quieted down somewhat. Even though they were excited, they still knew how to behave. They didn’t accidentally scare the person off so he wouldn’t dare to come out again in the next few days or even weeks!

Qiu Ling noticed that the noisiness reduced and looked at his people, giving an appreciative smile. It seemed that they had realized Jing He was a bit uncomfortable after he asked him and reacted accordingly. This really was inverting the previous impression of being brash idiots who couldn’t keep anything to themselves that he was afraid they’d leave Jing He with. How unexpectedly thoughtful of them!

In a happy mood, Qiu Ling kissed Jing He’s temple again, his gaze staying on his beloved’s side face. Even if his people had adjusted their behavior … he still wanted some alone time. Ah, marrying as the king of a realm really wasn’t easy …

Jing He looked up at the soft touch, his cheeks flushing red. He still wasn’t used to this, despite Qiu Ling being even more affectionate than usual today. It had simply been too long that he lived his life according to the rules and customs of the Nine Heavens. Adjusting to what was usual in the dragon realm would take a lot of time. But then, Qiu Ling had always been patient with him.

He smiled at his husband and then glanced at the people walking up to their table and congratulating them again. His gaze also brushed over everyone still standing around in a circle, excitedly waiting for their turn. Many people had come along but there was also a large number of couples and even families. Watching them a bit, he could see that they were indeed just as affectionate with each other as Qiu Ling was with him. There didn’t seem to be any thought of hiding their feelings in front of other eyes.

Jing He retracted his gaze, not sure what to think. He had known the dragons were different from the gods in many ways. This had become apparent early on after he met Qiu Ling. But it was only now that he was here and saw it with his own eyes, that he truly understood how different things could be. In the future, he indeed had to pay close attention and learn bit by bit if he wanted to fit in. It seemed like this might be a good change though. Living in the dragon realm seemed much simpler in a way.